Multiple discrimination device and method of manufacturing the device

Abstract

Provided are a multiple discrimination device and a method of manufacturing the same. According to the multiple discrimination device, a three-dimensional micro ferromagnetic pattern is optimally designed and arranged to allow a magnetic force applied to a discrimination-target particle to be discriminated to be well controlled to perform discrimination well. The method employs a semiconductor processing technology, thereby precisely manufacturing and allowing mass production.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A multiple discrimination device comprising:
 a top plate; 
 a bottom plate; 
 a seed layer disposed between the top plate and the bottom plate; and 
 at least one ferromagnetic pattern disposed between the top plate and the seed layer, the at least one ferromagnetic pattern being adjacent to the seed layer, 
 wherein the top plate comprises: 
 a channel parallel with a first direction and having a first end and a second end, a mixture solution flowing from the first end to the second end; 
 at least one mixture solution inlet connected to the first end of the channel; 
 a buffer solution inlet connected to the first end of the channel; 
 a target particle outlet through which the discrimination target particle is discharged, the target particle outlet being connected to the second end of the channel; and 
 a nontarget particle outlet through which the nontarget particle is discharged, the nontarget particle outlet being connected to the second end of the channel, 
 wherein each of the at least one ferromagnetic pattern continuously curves underneath the entire channel and extends underneath both sides of the channel, and 
 wherein the mixture solution comprises a discrimination-target particle and a nontarget particle. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one ferromagnetic pattern has at least one shape of ‘J’, ‘U’, and ‘ω’. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1 , wherein a width of each of the at least one ferromagnetic pattern varies. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 1 , wherein a width of each of the at least one ferromagnetic pattern is between about 10 μm to about 1000 μm. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of each of the at least one ferromagnetic pattern is between about 0.1 μm to about 1000 μm. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 1 , wherein a height of the channel is between about 10 μm to about 1000 μm. 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one permanent magnet disposed adjacent to the channel. 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one ferromagnetic pattern is a plurality of ferromagnetic patterns, and
 wherein intervals between the plurality of ferromagnetic patterns become narrower towards the nontarget particle outlet. 
 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 1 , wherein a magnetization amount of the discrimination-target particle is larger than that of the nontarget particle. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 9 , wherein the discrimination-target particle is coupled with a magnetic nano particle and is at least one of a gene, DNA, RNA, protein, peptide, and a tumor cell. 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one ferromagnetic pattern is disposed on the bottom plate, 
 wherein the top plate is disposed above the bottom plate, and 
 wherein at least one of the bottom plate and the top plate comprises polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). 
 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 11 , further comprising a photoresist pattern disposed between the bottom plate and the top plate and being in contact with a sidewall of each of the at least one ferromagnetic pattern. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one ferromagnetic pattern has a ‘ω’ shape. 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 1 , wherein a magnetic field gradient produced by the plurality of ferromagnetic patterns increases along the first direction. 
     
     
       15. A multiple discrimination device comprising:
 a top plate; 
 a bottom plate; 
 a seed layer disposed between the top plate and the bottom plate; and 
 a plurality of ferromagnetic patterns disposed between the top plate and the seed layer, 
 wherein the top plate comprises: 
 a channel parallel with a first direction and having a first end and a second end, a mixture solution flowing from the first end to the second end; 
 at least one mixture solution inlet connected to the first end of the channel; 
 a buffer solution inlet connected to the first end of the channel; 
 a target particle outlet through which the discrimination target particle is discharged, the target particle outlet being connected to the second end of the channel; and 
 a nontarget particle outlet through which the nontarget particle is discharged, the nontarget particle outlet being connected to the second end of the channel, and 
 wherein each of the plurality of ferromagnetic patterns continuously curves underneath the entire channel and extends underneath both sides of the channel, each of the ferromagnetic patterns being wider than a width of the channel. 
 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 15 , wherein intervals between the plurality of ferromagnetic patterns become narrower towards the nontarget particle outlet.